"Be joyful - a caressing voice invites us warmly to joy."

So says Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, a favourite role of Melbourne soprano Stacey Alleaume.

Alleaume has become something of a specialist at not only singing challenging roles, but in challenging situations: at the top of hot air balloons, shipping containers, and even quite literally swinging from chandeliers.

In the Drawing Room, she talks about her path to opera, the real woman behind the character of Violetta, and the importance of a good plate of pasta.